With a simple mix of white cake dip, shredded coconut, and chocolate pudding, this fun dessert dip tastes just like snowball cake or a Hostess Sno Ball.

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Snowball cake dip in a blue bowl surrounded by sugar coated cookies.

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About Snowball Cake Dip

Do you love snowball cakes? Or how about the little Sno Ball cakes by Hostess?

Then you’ve come to the right place!

Because this dessert dip takes everything that’s delicious about snowball-themed desserts (cake, coconut, and chocolate) and turns it into a dippable treat that you can whip up in about 20 minutes.

What to serve with snowball cake mix dip?

After making as many dessert dips as I have, you start to get a feeling for what goes best with these ultra creamy treats.

Below are some of my best suggestions. Feel free to try one (or as many) as you like!

Top down view of shredded coconut on top of snowball cake dip.

Can you make snowball cake dip in advance?

One of the most common questions I get about dessert dips is whether or not you can make them in advance. I totally understand why someone would want to do this, as it’s easier to prepare treats for a party the night before than scrambling to get everything done the day of the event.

The good news is that the answer to this question is almost always yes. BUT, each dip has its own considerations depending on the ingredients.

For this snowball cake batter dip, the ingredients you want to be careful of are the cake mix, cheesecake pudding mix, and the shredded coconut.

When making this dip, you’ll notice that the consistency of the dip will change significantly once the milk is added to the dry mixes. That’s because adding the milk starts the process of the cake and pudding mix absorbing any available moisture. The idea is that this moisture will come from the milk, but over time, it will also start to draw moisture from the Cool Whip. This means that the dip will continue to thicken a bit even after you’re done mixing.

Because of this, if you plan to make this dip in advance, I recommend adjusting the white cake mix from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup.

To refrigerate this dip: Add dip to a bowl with a sealable lid. Secure lid and store in the refrigerator for up to two days. Before serving, allow dip to soften a bit at room temperature. If dip seems too firm, try mixing a tablespoon of milk (up to a maximum of three tablespoons).

To freeze this dip: Add dip to a bowl with a sealable lid. Secure lid and store in the freezer for up to one month. Before serving, allow dip to unfreeze in the refrigerator for one to two days, then allow dip to soften at room temperature before serving. If dip seems too firm, try mixing a tablespoon of milk (up to a maximum of three tablespoons).

Dipping a sugar cookie into snowball cake dip.

How long can you leave out a dessert dip?

Whenever you serve a dip for your guests to enjoy, you should always keep track of how long it sits at room temperature.

For most foods, the general rule of thumb is that a perishable item should not be in the “danger zone” for more than two hours. And by “danger zone,” this is usually at or just above room temperature, which is typically how this dip will be served.

As the party goes on, you can move your dip back to the refrigerator once you get past the two-hour mark. If your guests still want more dip, let it chill for at least 30 minutes before bringing it back out again.

Want to dig deeper into food safety? Take a look at the USDA’s Food Safety Basics, especially the part about the above-mentioned “danger zone.”

Do you have to use shredded coconut?

Coconut is one of the key ingredients that make “snowball” desserts look like they’re covered in snowflakes, but if you’re not a fan of coconut, you can sacrifice some of the presentation for another flavor or topping that you’d like better.

For instance, you could easily use chocolate chips or crumbled/crushed candy in place of the shredded coconut. Basically, anything that has a similar consistency to the shredded coconut (so in other words, anything that can be crumbled or sprinkled) can easily be used in this dip.

Dipping a sugar cookie into snowball cake dip.

Do you need to bake the Cake Mix?

Although it’s rare to become ill from consuming flour, it is considered a raw ingredient, so for proper food safety, the cake mix should be cooked before consumption because it includes flour.

To bake the cake mix: Spread the cake mix out on a baking sheet and bake it for five minutes at 350°F.

Can you use out of date cake mix?

If you’re anything like me, recipes like this strike you on days when you don’t want to leave the house and you’re raiding your cabinets for options. And, inevitably, you’re going to run across something that looks fine but has a date that’s long since passed.

So, when it comes to expired cake mix, what do you do? Can you use it or not?

First off, make sure that the cake mix has been properly stored. This means that it’s been in a cool, dry place, and that either the seal is still intact or that it’s been stored in a sealed container since it was opened.

Once you confirm the storage, check the date printed on the package. Cake mix is typically good four to five months beyond the “best by” date.

If you have a product that’s older than this, I would not recommend using it for something like a dip. If you’d like to read more about the concerns of expired cake mix, check out this article.

Dipping a cookie deep into snowball cake dip, showing the chocolate pudding inside.

notes & tips for this snowball cake dip

  • For this recipe, I highly recommend using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. This isn’t a recipe you can make by hand with a whisk.
  • If you’re a fan of the packaged Sno Ball cakes, you can add a few drops of pink food coloring to the cake dip so it looks more like the Hostess treats.

More fun dessert dips

How to make snowball cake dip

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip together the Cool Whip and cheesecake pudding mix until combined.

Step 2 – Reduce mixer speed to low and pour in the white cake mix and milk, whipping everything together until smooth.

Step 3 – When ready to assemble dip, add layers in this order: prepared cake dip, shredded coconut, then chocolate pudding. Feel free to make the layers as thick or thin as you’d like, but for best presentation, plan on ending with a layer of cake dip topped with shredded coconut (as pictured on this page.)

Step 4 – Serve with cookies for dipping and enjoy!

Recipe Details

Snowball cake dip in a blue bowl surrounded by sugar coated cookies.
4.41 from 5 votes

Snowball Cake Dip

20 minutes prep
249 kcal
Yields: 6 servings
With a simple mix of white cake dip, shredded coconut, and chocolate pudding, this fun dessert dip tastes just like snowball cake or a Hostess Sno Ball.

Ingredients 

  • 8 ounces Cool Whip, softened
  • 3.4 ounces instant cheesecake pudding mix
  • 1/2 cup white cake mix
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup chocolate pudding, homemade or store-bought
  • 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened, your choice
  • cookies, of your choice, for dipping

Instructions

  • Food Safety Step: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread cake mix out on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Allow cake mix to cool completely before using.
    1/2 cup white cake mix
  • Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), blend Cool Whip and cheesecake pudding mix on medium speed until combined, about 3 to 5 minutes.
    8 ounces Cool Whip, 3.4 ounces instant cheesecake pudding mix
  • Reduce mixer speed to low and blend in white cake mix and milk, mixing until all dry ingredients are incorporated, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set finished cake dip nearby.
    1/2 cup milk
  • To assemble dip: add layers of cake dip, shredded coconut, and chocolate pudding as you see fit, smoothing out each layer as you go. Suggested order is cake dip, shredded coconut, then chocolate pudding, repeating these layers until you end with a thick layer of cake dip on top. Finish by coating the top of dip with a generous helping of shredded coconut.
    1/2 cup chocolate pudding, 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • Serve snowball cake dip immediately with your favorite cookies for dipping.
    cookies

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1mg

I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.

Author: Chrisy